1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a hinge assembly which assists in the mounting of a door, especially an unframed glass door, into a casement.
2. The Related Art
A variety of mechanisms are known for attaching hinged doors to their cabinets. Glass doors are particularly difficult to mount. In many conventional methods, the known doors suffer from a disadvantage that they cannot be easily and quickly removed from their hinges and replaced with equal ease and speed, particularly by one person.
Some of these problems have been addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,7 (Bachor). Therein is disclosed a hinge part having a receiving pocket for enclosing an edge of a glass door, which is then further secured by a clamping screw threaded through a hole in a wall of the hinge part. Protruding vertically upward from the hinge part is a post insertable into a bushing. Two elastic members with locking projections are formed within the bushing. When the post is inserted between the elastic member, the locking projections lodge within an annular groove to lockingly secure the post to the bushing.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,794 has advanced the art, there still remain technical deficiencies. The locking projections of the bushing have limited vertical play within the annular groove of the post. Vertical adjustment of the door during emplacement becomes restricted. Moreover, the locking projections are subject to wear. The described clamping screw securing the glass door to the pocket of the hinge part also may be difficult to adjust, tighten and untighten.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hinge assembly for mounting a door, especially an unframed glass door, into a structure opening such as a cabinet.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hinge assembly for mounting a door, especially an unframed glass door, into a structure opening in a manner which allows ample vertical adjustment for proper placement.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hinge assembly for mounting a door, especially an unframed glass door, into a structure opening which facilitates horizontal placement of the door.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hinge assembly for mounting a door, especially an unframed glass door, into a structure opening wherein the locking elements are less subject to wear.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a hinge assembly for mounting a door, especially an unframed glass door, in a structure opening wherein locking screws of the hinge assembly can be more readily tightened and untightened than previously possible.
Other objects of this invention will become apparent from consideration of the following summary, detailed discussion and drawings.